Unless you are situated in the old part of the town, the main beach at Puerto del Carmen is not going to be far away. The Avenida de las Playas is the long road that stretches almost the entire length of the town and the Playa Grande follows that road.
The sand is a mixture of light and dark particles – the dark ones being lava ash, which gives the whole beach a slightly darker shade than you might expect on a holiday in the sun. That said, it is very clean and on a fine day can be an ideal place to go with a family.
The sea is very clear and even a bit saltier than on the European coast. Depending on which part of the beach you are on, there are pedalos for hire, or loungers with sunshades. There are also first aid points and a lifeguard station.
If the beach gets too much for you, or you’ve left something at home, then there are numerous small shops along the avenida that will sell you almost anything, but in particular buckets and spades, beach towels, souvenirs, and discount electronics!
Unfortunately, the beach can be pretty unpleasant when it’s windy – the sand blows up and gets into everything, so it’s best to go there on a fine day with little wind and be prepared to do something else when the weather changes.
